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Wire edge?

I just picked up a knife to sharpen (from a pro) and I noticed a funny thing. The edge is bent to the left very nicely and evenly along the entire length of the knife. I've never seen anything like it. I lent this guy a knife before and it didn't happen to my edge (it wasn't a ton of use though). What could cause that sort of thing to happen? Is it a wire edge or just a very fine edge. I see no deformation behind the edge. It's just that tenth of a mm right at the edge that is folded over.

I have seen what I think you are describing on a knife that was sharpened with a pull-through type device; it was a soft German blade. Maybe it was steeled too hard on one side? Do you know how the knife was sharpened/maintained by the owner?

I was going to say probably a pull through sharpener. People who use those things tend to develop a strange pattern and end up usually with a gap on the heel since more force is applied there and an edge that points to the left since your arm naturally twists or opens up towards that side. Try to imagine the movement when done naturally and with a ton of force, and you should get a pretty clear picture of how it happened. If he doesn't use a pull through sharpener I have no god damn clue how it happened.

How could you tell the edge was folded over? I don't know if this is a wire edge, but seeing that flip is similar to what Dave describes in his wire edge test. I've never been able to see a flap of steel bent in one direction, but I'm not entirely convinced that it's because my edges are wire-edge free. More convinced that I just don't know what to look for.

Maybe I should clarify: The edge was ground on Japanese waterstones, afaik. After using the edge for a while (a few shifts?), it was handed to me. I ran my fingers along the edge. It felt dull. I then ran my fingers up and down the face of the knife. On side felt smooth. The other (left) felt like there is a little ridge at the edge where it is bent over to the left. Close visual inspection verified a surprisingly consistent and even ridge pointing sideways to the left of the blade. It doesn't straighten out with pressure from my finger but it re-aligned without a problem using a glass rod. Is that a wire edge?

Does he use a steel at work? I would say wire edge, got dull, so he steeled it and pushed it all over to one side. See if you can un-align it again and push it back over to one side with a steel or rod.

Does he scrape the board with the edge of his knife a lot? If he's right handed and sliding cut product away from himself to the right then it might be enough to roll a very thin edge on a soft steeled blade to the left.